This World Blood Donor Day, Saifee Hospital organized a science fair, 'Blood- the magical fluid of life' to create awareness about blood donation.

The two-day event was open to all and was conducted with the help of medical professionals on 14^th and 15^th June, 2019. The main aim of the event was to create awareness about blood donation and showcase how blood functions and contributes to human well-being. The medical professionals and doctors addressed various myths and facts of blood and shared their insights through interactive audio visual mediums to help people reduce apprehensions towards donation.

Doctors and dieticians present at the science fair provided health and diet suggestions that one could incorporate in their daily lifestyle, since blood responds to one’s food habits, lifestyle and affects the overall health and well-being of a person. Along with this they also provided information on various kinds of blood conditions affecting health.

A Virtual Reality (VR) experience of blood cell flow, sound station to listen and understand the blood flow along with live demonstrations of blood cells under microscopes were conducted.

Commenting on the same, Dr. Ainy Choonia, Head of Blood Bank, Saifee Hospital said, “As per a recent report, India needs4 crore units of blood every year but only 40 lakh units are available. This highlights the urgent need for the citizens to start donating blood as it can be a deciding factor in saving lives. The event was organized with the aim to eliminate the misconceptions that make blood donation an intimidating process. At Saifee Hospital, we have always believed in providing the best healthcare services to people in need and contributing to the society holistically. The response was overwhelming and we thank the attendees for spending a day understanding the need of the hour and how they can contribute in ensuring a healthier country.”

Pro bono blood tests were conducted for the attendees for them to know their eligibility, blood type, haemoglobin levels and quality of blood. Since blood has a short life-span after donation, events like this can help raise awareness to create a regular pool of blood donors in the society.